Software Unassurance...

Simple questions for Microsoft.

How does Software Assurance work when a new OS upgrade with major new functionality is released and it requires possible "expensive" re-adjustment to the customer's IT environment - just to make the new features work?

What happens to any "unusable" upgrades then?

For e.g. take current MS server products that are designed for use with Active Directory? If I do not want to implement Active Directory (or any future MS technology), how would Software Assurance help as I have already paid for the upgrades, but cannot currently use them in our company's IT environment?

At some point, I will have to move to Active Directory (or any future MS technology MS decides to implement), but I want to make that decision due to business requirements - not have it forced on me for the sake of a sale.

By requesting customers to pay in advance for all upgrades on all machines before customers can fully evaluate it within their environment removes their ability to say "No...this upgrade will neither add any major benefit to our business nor save us money in the long-term." and skip them.

MS has given their customers an ultimatum - "Pay MS now or pay MS a lot more later on...you choose." In fact, the customers really have little choice.

After 31st July 2002, MS will have shot itself in the foot and the bullet will ricochet and kill an innocent bystander - the fledgeling PC industry.

Businesses who may sign up for Software Assurance could STOP adding more PCs to their environments until they can fully understand the cost implications of Software Assurance in the long-term - as each new PC - must now carry an "upgrade" cost per year - whereas before they did not, which could hurt MS even further.